Govt reacts as Permanent Secretary allegedly beats HoD, to coma
The Anambra State Government has on Sunday announced its intention to take decisive action in response to a violent altercation between Mrs. Chinwe Achugbu, the newly appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, and an unidentified female Head of Department within the same ministry.
The incident reportedly took place on Thursday, August 15, within the office premises, following a heated argument over an undisclosed issue. The confrontation escalated to the point where one individual allegedly strangled the other into unconsciousness.
While the exact cause of the altercation remains unclear, it is known that intervention from nearby individuals was required to separate the two parties and restore order to the ministry.
A source within the ministry, who chose to remain anonymous, informed journalists on Friday that the Permanent Secretary inflicted severe injuries on the Head of Department.
The injured party was swiftly transported to the Emergency Ward at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital in Amaku-Awka, where she was subsequently resuscitated.
The source also revealed that physical altercations among senior staff members in the ministry have become increasingly frequent, with subordinates hesitant to report such incidents due to fear of retaliation.
The state government has vowed to address these issues comprehensively and ensure that appropriate measures are taken.
The source said, “Yes, the incident happened. Everything in that story happened. I was there that day and everything happened before my face. The two of them fought over a yet-to-be-disclosed matter and the PS tried to strangle the HOD, as she held her neck for several minutes.
“It was a very chaotic moment. It took the intervention of other persons around before normalcy returned after the HOD was rushed to the hospital because she fell into a coma.”
Another employee within the ministry, who spoke to PUNCH Metro on the condition of anonymity, corroborated the incident.
They noted that the matter had not been formally reported due to the high status of those involved, suggesting that some senior officials were attempting to cover up the issue.
When approached at her office at the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare in the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, Mrs. Chinwe Achugbu, the Permanent Secretary, declined to comment on the allegations.
She stated that, as a person under authority, she was not permitted to speak and directed the reporter to consult the Head of Service instead.
The Head of Service, Theodora Igwegbe, acknowledged being aware of the reported altercation through social media but confirmed she had not yet received an official briefing on the incident. She assured that appropriate action would be taken once a thorough investigation and assessment of the situation were completed.
“I saw the report on social media on Friday, August 23, 2024. I have not received a formal report against the Permanent Secretary in question as provided by Section 7, Chapter 10 of the Public Service Rules (2021).
“That notwithstanding, I have started asking questions to ascertain what happened while I await a formal report, which should be the beginning of a process. Thank you,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, was unavailable for comment regarding the incident, as both messages and calls to her phone went unanswered.
According to Section 7 of the Public Service Rules (2021), there are specific sanctions for misconduct and violations of worker conduct.
These guidelines outline penalties for failing to adhere to established practices and are designed to ensure that public servants uphold high standards of conduct and performance in their roles.
In an interview on Arise News on Friday, Kingibe addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recent altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The incident, which took place on February 20 during a plenary session, involved a heated exchange over a change in seating arrangements. Akpoti-Uduaghan later accused Akpabio of retaliating against her after she allegedly rejected his sexual advances.
Kingibe, however, countered Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusations, emphasizing that she was not the only senator whose seat had been moved.
The FCT senator also criticised Akpoti-Uduaghan for failing to adhere to Senate rules, stating that such issues should be handled within the framework of parliamentary procedures.
“Silence is golden, especially when one of us is not following the rules. And as women, we did not want to come out publicly to say anything negative about her; and we were hoping all of this will blow over, as a lot of things do,” Kingibe said.
“The senate is not a place where we are supposed to fight over trivialities like seating arrangements.
“This is about the rules of the senate. So if I can point out that other women have been moved several times on that day, I wasn’t there, but I gathered that several men were also moved.”
Kingibe said although the senate is “not gender friendly”, it has been improving.
“And the truth of the matter is, when we make a fuss and draw the attention of the Senate president, he corrects it,” she said.
“Truly, the senate can do better than it’s doing, but there’s hardly anything that’s been done to us that’s not done to other men.
“The truth is, Senator Natasha has gotten the most privileges among all four of us (female senators). The seat I sit on now has been moved four times.
“I want women to know we have to follow the rules of the institution we choose to enter, and that is mostly the point of this visit here.”
Regarding the allegations of sexual harassment, Kingibe stated that she is not personally close to Akpabio and therefore could not comment on such matters.
“I collected some documents for Senator Natasha, informed her and went to her house. She told me that she was supposed to discuss something with Akpabio but he said to meet him at a hotel,” Kingibe added.
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Governor Fubara breaks silence as Wike’s canp wins big at the Supreme Court
Governor Fubara breaks silence as Wike’s canp wins big at the Supreme Court
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed his acknowledgement for the Supreme Court’s decision to recognize Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule and 26 other individuals as legitimate members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The ruling marks a key development in the ongoing political turbulence within the state.
In an official statement issued by Joe Johnson, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Governor Fubara acknowledged the Supreme Court’s judgment, which also covers the management of state funds and local government administration in Rivers.
“We are currently awaiting a detailed briefing on the full implications of the judgment. We will carefully assess the situation and decide on the appropriate steps to safeguard the interests of Rivers State and its people,” the statement read.
While admitting that the ruling reinstates the 27 lawmakers, Fubara pointed out that the critical issue of their defection, which initially led to their disputed status, was not addressed by the Court. He explained that this matter remains unresolved, as it is still pending before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.
“Since the issue of defection was not part of the case before the Justices, they consider Amaewhule and the 26 others as duly serving lawmakers until the matter is brought before them,” the statement added.
Governor Fubara reassured Rivers State residents that his administration is committed to upholding the rule of law and working in the best interest of the state. He urged the public to remain calm and law-abiding as the government seeks clarity on the ruling and its broader consequences.
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JUST IN: Akpabio’s Wife drags Natasha to court, demands N250 billion over allegations against Husband
JUST IN: Akpabio’s Wife drags Natasha to court, demands N250 billion over allegations against Husband
Wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs. Unoma Godswill Akpabio, has instituted multiple lawsuits against Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following her sexual harassment allegations against her husband.
She filed a fundamental rights and defamation suits against Natasha-Akpoti at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, following sexual harassment claims against her husband.
In the suits, Anoma sought N250 billion as general damages.
Natasha-Akpoti had claimed that Akpabio was victimizing her in the Senate because she refused to sleep with him.
She recounted how the Senate President made several sexual overtures at her, even in the presence of her husband.
But, Anioma had dismissed her claims, saying she was lying and creating contents for her personal gains.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, Anioma threatened legal actions against Natasha.
The fundamental rights suit (Suit No: CV/814/25), was brought under Section 34(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 4 & 5 of The African Charter on Human And Peoples Rights (Ratification And Enforcement Act) Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Mrs. Akpabio sought the following, “A DECLARATION that the allegations made by the Respondent on the floor of the Senate on the 20th of February 2025 and subsequent scandalous and salacious allegations on Arise News TV by the Respondent, constitute a flagrant violation of the fundamental rights of the Applicant guaranteed under Section 34(1) (A) of The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), Article 4 & 5 of The African Charter on Human And Peoples Rights (Ratification And Enforcement Act) Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Section 14 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.
“AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Respondent from making further inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful statements that have caused the Applicant and her children emotional and psychological abuse and living under constant threat and fear of their lives.
“AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Respondent, whether by themselves, their agents, privies, or whosoever from further inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful statements that have caused the Applicant and her children emotional and psychological abuse and living under constant threat and fear of their lives or in any other manner infringing on their fundamental rights.
“AN ORDER awarding the sum of N250,000,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Billion Naira only) as exemplary, punitive, aggravated and general damages against the Respondent for her infringement of the fundamental rights of the Applicant alongside such further or other Orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”
Additionally, in a separate defamation lawsuit (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs. Akpabio seeks: “A DECLARATION that the Defendant’s act of claiming on national television, that the Claimant’s husband, who is the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made sexual advances at her, without any proof of same, has damaged the reputation of the Claimant and indeed her entire family, bringing them into disrepute and opprobrium.
“AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT mandating the Defendant to issue a formal written retraction of the defamatory words and tender an unconditional apology to the Claimant and her family, to be published in 2 (two) nationally-read newspapers to wit: The Guardian and This Day Newspapers.
“AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT compelling the Defendant to pay to the Claimant the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira only) as punitive and exemplary damages for the ruinous effect of the Defendant’s defamatory words on the Claimant’s family’s reputation.
“AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Defendant from further uttering any defamatory words or causing to be uttered or spread, any defamatory words against the reputation of the Claimant’s family.”